Courageous Chesterfield Teenager to Perform Prior to New Kent County Virginia Derby Horse Race Shayla “Shayy” Winn, the Chesterfield, Va., teenager who inspired millions as a contestant on “American Idol” while overcoming her loss of sight, will sing the National Anthem on Saturday evening, Aug. 31 at Colonial Downs, as part of the festivities on […]
Read MoreLed by two Pick 5 wagers and an All-Stakes late Pick 4, Colonial Downs is offering a tantalizing wagering menu for Saturday evening’s (Aug. 31) 10-race program, featuring the return the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3). Through the investment of the Colonial Downs Group, a subsidiary of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, Colonial Downs has […]
Read MoreA pair of $100,000 races for 2-year-olds on the Secretariat Turf Course – the 1 1/16-mile Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance/Kitten’s Joy Stakes and the 5 ½-furlong Exacta System’s Rosie’s Stakes – bolster the stellar Virginia Derby Night program on Saturday (Aug. 31) evening at Colonial Downs. Through the investment of the Colonial Downs Group, a subsidiary […]
Read MoreGovernor Northam to Present Derby Trophy and Ag Secretary Ring to Present Oaks Trophy at Special Day of Racing on Saturday, August 31 Featuring horses from nationally prominent trainers, Colonial Downs Group is pleased to announce record crowds are expected for the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby and the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Virginia Oaks races […]
Read MoreStakes-Packed Card includes Fasig-Tipton Virginia Oaks Calumet Farm’s English Channel colt English Bee and their Street Sense colt Tracksmith lead a field of nine 3-year-olds that will compete over 1 1/8 miles Saturday in the 17th running of the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (Gr. 3) at Colonial Downs. The Virginia Derby along with […]
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Reality Horse Racing’s Redeemed Gentleman made a five-wide rally down the lane to nail favored Birdsnest Party in the final sixteenth of a mile Saturday Night at Colonial Downs to win the $75,000 Old Nelson Starter Handicap by one-half length. Ridden by Johan Rosado, the Anthony Aguirre-trained son of Redeemed covered the 1 3/16 miles […]
Read MoreThe 17th running of the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (Gr. 3) on the Secretariat Turf Course, scheduled for this Saturday August 31, could feature a pair of Graham Motion trained three-year-olds in the field and another pair in under card stakes. “I’m inclined to enter both English Bee and Shootin The Breeze,” said […]
Read MoreColonial Downs officials announced that the Thursday August 22nd card of racing, which was cancelled due to severe storms, will be made up on Wednesday September 4th at 5 PM. The final week of Colonial’s summer season will now include four consecutive cards on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The finale on the 7th includes […]
Read MoreThursday’s nine race program at Colonial Downs was cancelled due to severe late afternoon thunderstorms that rolled into the New Kent area right around when racing was scheduled. For the safety of the equine competitors and racing fans, the entire card was cancelled shortly before 6:00 PM. The program is expected to be made up. […]
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Topped by horses from nationally prominent trainers like multiple Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, Dale Romans, Graham Motion, Mike Maker, Dallas Stewart, Ian Wilkes and Joe Sharp, the return of the Grade III $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby attracted 47 three-year-olds. It’s sister race, the listed $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Virginia Oaks boasts 34 sophomore fillies […]
Read MoreColonial Downs, which opened on August 8 for its first live race meet since 2013, is broadcasting races this year in high definition. The signal upgrade was assisted through The Jockey Club High Definition (HD) Grant Fund. Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club, announced the creation of the HD Grant Fund at […]
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“It’s just wonderful to see a great horse win a great race,” Ross said. “We actually had a horse years ago win this race when it was written at a mile called Pass Play. This horse has not won only here but he’s won at Churchill, he’s won at Woodbine and he won at Saratoga […]
Read MoreSaturday’s card at Colonial Downs is topped by a pair of open stakes – the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes for older runners on the main track and its turf counterpart, the $75,000 Da Hoss at 5 ½ furlongs on turf. The 10-race program kicks off at 5 PM. The Chesapeake, carded as race 5, is first […]
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Eagle Point Farm’s homebred filly What the Beep overtook longshot Big Lick Farm’s English Heiress in deep stretch to win the $100,000 M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes by a length, the first of four six-figure stakes races restricted to Virginia-breds highlighting the first Saturday card at Colonial Downs. Forest Boyce rode the Karen Godsey-trained 4-year-old who […]
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Spearheaded by large fields, an influx of nationally-rated horsemen and strong reviews for both the dirt and turf courses, Colonial Downs officials are very encouraged by the overall results of the first week of Thoroughbred racing at the track in six years. The “Racing Revival” at Colonial was launched last Thursday with a 10-race card, […]
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With the call of “Riders Up” from Kate Tweedy Chenery, daughter of Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, Thoroughbred racing in Virginia began a new era Thursday evening as Colonial Downs opened racing for the first time in six years to enthusiastic crowds, racing luminaries and top flight racing from horsemen and jockeys throughout the mid-Atlantic and […]
Read MoreColonial Downs Opens Under New Ownership, Bringing the Sport Back to the Commonwealth for the First Time in Five Years Thoroughbred horse racing is back in Virginia. Colonial Downs, which originally opened on September 1, 1997 and then closed on October 14, 2014, is once again open for business with the newly named Secretariat Turf […]
Read MoreVirginia-bred runners are featured Saturday night at Colonial Downs in four $100,000 stakes races, all to be contested over the Secretariat Turf Course and are the first such races to be run in the Commonwealth since 2013. Under new ownership of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment and renovated facilities, this meeting marks the re-birth of racing in […]
Read MoreAmerica’s Leading Horse Racing Network Also to Present On-Site Coverage of Virginia Racing Festival, Aug. 30-31 Officials of Colonial Downs Group and Television Games Network (TVG) today announced that TVG, America’s leading Thoroughbred racing network and advance deposit wagering (ADW) platform, will televise races for the 2019 Colonial Downs meeting, beginning with opening day this […]
Read MoreIn restoring Thoroughbred racing in Virginia after a six-year hiatus, Colonial Downs, in conjunction with the Virginia Racing Commission, today announced a comprehensive set of elevated safety and horse welfare procedures and protocols for its upcoming race meeting, which opens on August 8. These broad-based protocols will encompass Pre-Race Examinations, Medication, Test Barn Procedures and […]
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